In Theaters: "Fast and Furious" good for fans

Prequel to Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift, in theaters now is Fast and Furious, the fourth film in the series. With Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, and a few other original cast members, this latest installment certainly gets immediate points for not going cheap.

The most important question to ask is: How did this one stack up against the others, since it should be assumed that - if you didn't like the first three - you're likely not going to like this one.

The answer is that it compares very well as an action movie, though it is a little darker than the first three both literally and figuratively and so ends up showing off a little less: fewer custom cars and outrageous mods. It fits with the plot, however, which requires "sleeper" cars without much flare.

The acting and circumstances are about as believable as elsewhere in the series, meaning that over-analyzing plot devices is mutually exclusive to enjoying the film. While several of the actors in it have proven their merit elsewhere, Furious is all about well-crafted action, fast cars, and danger around ever corner. In that, it excels, if only in that.

So if you liked the previous films, you'll enjoy Fast and Furious. If you've never seen any of them, this one's not a bad place to start, as you really won't get lost by seeing it first.

It's tough to say whether this is one of those films you really need to see on the big screen. I could see it looking just as good on a nice home theater, since most of the visuals are fairly obvious. Either way, it's good fun and carries on the Fast and Furious torch quite well.

DVD: "The Burrowers" digs another hole

What is it about the old west that so hard to make scary? I mean, it's kinda creepy in its own right really, so what's the problem? You've got rampant and very visual sicknesses like small pox, open forests full of wild creatures, low lighting, "wild" Natives who chant and portray borderline magical practices amid superstitious settlers. If you can't find horror potential in that, you might want to give up writing and try underwater basket weaving.

And yet new-to-DVD flick The Burrowers proves that this is a horror formula that just isn't working for dammit all in Hollywood.

The concept is intriguing enough: a settler family goes missing, and despite Natives being blamed, it's some older, darker beings who travel underground that are snatching people and burying them alive. The acting is quite good, despite a few botched accents here and there. The camera work and music are decent as well, and yet I'm not so much scared as I am bored.

I can't necessarily tell you what it takes to make a good western/horror, but films such as The Cellar, The Missing, and now The Burrowers can surely show you how not to make it work. Maybe it's having "the" before the title that flags it for failure, since the movie that blended the genres best is titled Ghost Town from back in 1988.

So while Burrowers isn't a good western/horror, it's not a bad film. If you have nothing better to do some lazy afternoon, it has enough entertainment value to make it worth a cheap rental - just don't get your hopes up for being scared or finding the storyline even a little disturbing.

In a comic book, I could see the plot working, but apparently such stories just don't translate well to the big screen.

In Theaters: "Adventureland" a quality flick

I think I would have seen new-in-theaters Adventureland regardless of what others thought of it, since I am a huge fan of Superbad. But admittedly, it didn't hurt when I heard from my favorite movie blogs that it's pretty exceptional.

So despite the student tickets creeping up to $8, my wife and I checked it out last night. Unlike most comedies, this is one that I actually would suggest watching in the theater because of the excellent use of filters and light to convey tacitly everything from era to time of day with great care.

While there aren't many belly-roll laughs in Adventureland, it's carried along smoothly by a pretty amazing cast - each of which is completely believable in their roles. This speaks to solid direction as well as acting, of course.

The theme - a post-bac and still inexperienced young man finds that the only job he qualifies for is working at a lower-echelon amusement park - is far more realistic than the typical drivel, where college inevitably leads to everyone getting his dream job (after graduating from his dream college, of course).

The pace can be a little slow, but you get the feeling that it's very much meant to move at that pace, not that it isn't tightly edited or forcing too many of those Brown Bunny moments of silent contemplation.

Since the genre is certainly not new, Adventureland has been compared to many films: Dazed and Confused, Say Anything. But the angle is really unique enough that you won't likely find yourself making comparisons, but just enjoying what was a well-crafted, well-acted film that has something for any adult aged viewer.

New to DVD: "Paul Blart: Mall Cop"

Right when Happy Madison Productions comes on the screen for new-to-DVD Paul Blart: Mall Cop, I know I'm not watching an Oscar-winning film. But I also figure that there's a good chance that the movie is going to garner a few good laughs, and probably have some replay value.

I mean, no one really knew what the heck to think about Billy Madison when it came out, but then you just kept watching it over and over until it spawned a litany of one-liners and character clones.

While I'll not give Blart Madison status, there are some characteristics that put it outside the typical feel-good slapstick.

First of all, it doesn't have that much slapstick. If it's nothing but Kevin James slipping on stuff or banging his head for 90-minutes, I would have lost interest quick. Fortunately, James is given some room and plays a mall cop perfectly - the comedy being the sort of sad irony that makes "The Office" so great rather than the paper-thin characters of most Rob Schneider Happy Madison flicks.

That said, almost everything that occurs is completely predictable, and it just fills out the 90-minutes before getting tired. Another ten minutes would have really hurt it, so good editing deserves some credit. While I think IMDb's rating of 5.5 isn't far off the mark, it's a solid 5.5 and not a mediocre score because something that should have been awesome was ruined. Instead, this is a so-so flick making you laugh a little and feel good. Nothing wrong with that.

The free-running is pretty sweat too.

Watchmen a twisted treat

After finally seeing Watchmen in theaters, I have to say that I was a little surprised in general, though pleasantly. I was expecting X-Men, but got a cross between Sin City and Mystery Men. While many moments contained the raw, edgy action of City, there were other moments of unintentional comedy.

While the film is crazy long, the pace is such that it feels like it's right, or else something would have been left out. It progresses much like a comic book or graphic novel, with disjointed sections and sometimes rough transitions, but nothing that you can't put together as time progresses, despite the Nancy Drews thinking that talking in the theater is alright so long as they're revealing some wholly obvious plot twist in case the brain-dead among us missed it.

The look and feel of the film is top shelf: great use of color, effects, and sound. The inevitable CGI doesn't ruin your immersion like in many lower-budget flicks. The role of Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach is amazing, and worth the price of admission alone.

That said, Watchmen is not for everyone. If you're expecting Sin City or Batman then you may leave disappointed, as there is as much time spent on story and character development as there is on setting up the next action sequence.

But if you're patient and can suspend your disbelief a little at some less-than-likely loose ends, Watchmen is sure to entertain and warrants a couple of views to fully soak in its message and the depth of its story and characters, assuming you can check your impatience and your political leanings at the door.

New to DVD: "Role Models"

The latest Paul Rudd film - Role Models - sports a cast with which it's hard to miss the mark, both Rudd and Sean William Scott - a team that could make you laugh just standing there. And the premise isn't bad, since there's nothing more entertaining than a good meltdown scene (Jerry McGuire, Nothing to Lose) followed by the chance to corrupt young adults by showing them the majesty of the slacker MTV generation.

There is a little of the inevitable moralizing along with the hilly cycle that ends on an up-note, but it doesn't overshadow the humor. However, the film is not nearly as tightly crafted as it really should be. I mean, this isn't going to win any awards or be immortalized, but neither is The 40-year-old Virgin, though that doesn't stop Virgin from being amazing.

Sometimes when the writing is okay and the actors rely on the hits keepin' on a'comin' even a small element of lag can turn a good comedy into a drag. Models does have some slower moments that its overall charm smooths over, but still leaves a slightly pitted road.

Models is worth renting for some pretty solid laughs peppered throughout, but don't count on it leaving you reeling or breaking any comic ground. If a few good chuckles and some entertainment is what you're after, Models will do you just fine.

DVD: "Zach and Miri Make a Porno"

There's something oddly satisfying about being a fly on the wall to down-on-their-luck, indolent and uncouth figures such as the two main characters in Zack and Miri Make a Porno. Maybe it's the catharsis of seeing someone else's dreams having not come true, seeing their witty retorts to inevitable judgments of peers, and the all-around downward spiral that you know will eventually lead to salvation (or at least vindication).

In this way, Zack and Miri (played by Seth Rogan and Elizabeth Banks) are totally believable and highly hilarious, evidenced by the near-flawless high school reunion scene, with a great cameo by Justin Long.

After this point, though, and before the speed picks up before the end, is where I could see Zack and Miri losing some people...though not me. You have to like the particularly lewd but witty comedy of Kevin Smith in order to fully appreciate the more subtle laughs of the film's middle, which relies upon lots of pop-culture references and '80s kids winks and nods that are priceless...if you like that kind of thing. Frankly, though, you shouldn't even bother renting Zack and Miri if you don't.

That said, there is some serious skills being laid down by Banks, who is so completely believable and passionate as Miri. While Jason Mewes was awesome as always, it was Banks who stole the show.

When I first saw Knocked Up, I really enjoyed it, but wasn't ROFL as the truncated lingo of our texting culture might say, and yet - when I saw it again just a week ago - I was instantly re-hooked and found it even more entertaining than before. Perhaps Zack and Miri will have a similar effect; I wouldn't be at all surprised.

But on my first viewing, I'd give it a solid 7.0 with some definite replay quality. This is one you'll likely pop in with some friends even after you've all seen it many times.

Throwback Thursday: "Nobody's Perfect"

Who knows what it was with the '80s and dressing up dudes like chicks and vice versa (Just One of the Guys, Sleepaway Camp, Tootsie), but this week's throwback Nobody's Perfect has got to be among the funniest.

Starring Chad Lowe, who you might remember from CBS School Break Special "No Means No" (hilarious in retrospect), is a love-struck freshman in college who cross-dresses so he can get to know his object of affection. Already a convincing chick, he's coached by clever and likable partner in crime Patrick Breen.

Sure, it's largely situation comedy, but it's well-written with lots of clean laughs (anything that can have cross-dressing and not make one sex joke after another is doing well).

What made it stand out more in my mind is that I must have watched it 1,000 times when I was younger due to a shortage of blank VHS tapes, but even though Perfect had scarcity power, it's still a decent flick. And what it lacks in original plot devices it makes up for in acting and excellent casting.

So put down that copy of Ladybugs and check out Nobody's Perfect. Good for a few laughs and a fitting family movie (the PG-13 kinda family). Just don't watch it so many times that the tape breaks, or it will remain hardwired to your brain like it is mine.

Day of the Doc: "The Obama Deception"

The Obama Deception is another documentary by acclaimed conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, the guy who brought you Terrorstorm: A History of Government-Sponsored Terrorism. What I should preface with is that the doc isn't really about Obama at all, and really does smack of a non-partisan agenda, so don't think that you wouldn't want to see it if you are a lefty or would agree with every word if you're a righty. It's about the power behind the throne, according to Jones.

While I found Jones' 9/11 stuff half interesting, half complete reaching, it and Deception have some notable qualities that your average viewer might like:

1. The films are very well put together. The editing, sound, and especially the graphics are top notch. I'm not sure if it's the same guy putting together all of them, but they are excellently crafted.

2. It's abnormal. We're in a society where 24/7 news can have you all caught up after a month-long news fast in about an hour. However, it's largely the same types of stories on the same subject matters. No matter what you might think of the infowars stuff, at least it's different.

3. It makes no apologies. These films seem to communicate the message of: "I may have been way off the mark 99 times, but if I'm right that one time in a 100, you're gonna wish you'd listened," which is very different from mainstream media. Sure mainstream media is full of crap most of the time, too, but it's not really trying to connect the dots to make a big picture, but just kind of taking this hands-off, we're just here to give you info sort of stance.

While many documentaries end up getting bogged down in repetition and the majesty where's off after about an hour, most of Jones' stuff is about 2 hours long, and is genuinely interesting the whole time. While I'm not sold to the point of molding an aluminum skull cap or checking the skies for black helicopters, some of the things he covers about global warming and the Fed warrant further investigation and are pretty insightful.

So, embrace your inner paranoia and check out The Obama Deception on DVD, no matter how you feel about Jones or Obama. At the very least, you'll be entertained and informed by something other than your typical media.

Day of the 'Dog: "Behind Enemy Lines"

Let me get right into why people think that today's 'dog - Behind Enemy Lines with Owen Wilson and Gene Hackman - is mediocre at best and horrific at worst. It isn't John Wayne's army, where heroes are hard, dedicated, iron clad men who would sooner cut out their hearts as bad mouth the US of A.

Face it: most war movies might as well have cast Sgt. Slaughter in the lead, draped in an American flag, a Coke in one hand and a machine gun in the other, a Marlboro cig hanging from below a handlebar mustache of ass-kickery. We don't like the idea that there are people in the military like Wilson's character, Lt. Burnett - reluctant, selfish men who aren't too keen on dying and like to question the efficacy of seemingly redundant missions during a seemingly redundant war (Bosnia).

I'm not dogging on The Duke - I'm up for a Wayne-a-thon as much as the next guy, but I can also appreciate a little flip side of war, and I don't mean violence. Plenty of war films ascribe to the idea that more gore must mean more truth - let's show 'em what war's really about by having some guy picking up his body parts and asking his sergeant "paper or plastic?" Dissension is an unpopular model for showing that other side, but is done exceptionally well in Lines. Not every solider has to be an ate-up Rambo type (despite pilots being notoriously that way).

Okay, so there must be some other reasons why Lines made Day of the 'Dog besides the clever back-talk of snarky Wilson. Well, consider this:

1. The cinematography is first-rate. Everything from shot angles to slow-mo to the use of color and shadow are just awesome. Lines is one of those movies I would be alright watching with the sound off, maybe having it in run on loop in the background like gangstas do Scarface.

2. Owen Wilson is great in this very atypical role. If you like Wilson in other leads, then you'd definitely like him in Lines.

3. The story isn't exactly deep, but it does present an oft-neglected facet of our recent war history - that of our Clinton-era involvement in Bosnia.

So while IMDb flamers have pondered whether Lines is the worst war movie ever, and the overall 6.1 score speaks to its generally poor reception, just remember that blind or unrealistic patriotism does not a good film make, nor the opposite a film not worth seeing.

So check out Lines and make your own mind up as you enjoy the smashing visuals, clever dialogue, and unique point-of-view. Realistic? Not so much. But an awesome ride with a novel conductor? You bet.

DVD: "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" fills the Disney mold

Alright, if you've seen the previews for Beverly Hills Chihuahua, then you know that Citizen Kane it ain't. However, if you're looking for something cute, then new-to-DVD Chihuahua could be just what you're looking for.

So what are some staples of a cute movie:

1. Happy endings, check. It's Disney, so you know it uses the very typical (but harmless) norm, storm, warm formula.

2. Comedy, check. There are a couple of good laughs in Chihuahua, though the humans are - as is typical in animal movies - little more than extras.

3. Good pace, check. This I would argue is most important because what cute movies lack in story and depth should be made up in pace, and not necessarily action. Chihuahua has some slow moments and very transparent scenes, but few scenes that last uncomfortable seconds beyond when they should have ended - the third-rail for cute movies.

4. Not too much tragedy, check. Cute movies shouldn't have so much gloom and then only have everyone happy in the denouement. Evident in complete downer flicks such as Rookie of the Year and Curly Sue, having too much conflict makes any happy ending only mildly cathartic and doesn't' wash away the gloom of an entire film. Chihuahua only takes itself somewhat seriously, and so avoids too much of the inevitable down cycle.

So, while I'm sure reviews at large put Chihuahua right up there with The Real Cancun so far as cinematic quality, just relax and understand that it's a cute Disney flick meant to entertain and garner a chuckle or two.

Throwback Thursday: "When Harry Met Sally"

Just before writing this review is, indeed, the first time I've seen When Harry Met Sally, and the fact that most people say "Really!" to that statement is a testament to the 1989 film, today's throwback.

The movie opens with Harry and Sally as recent college grads, and I find Billy Crystal's character mildly annoying - the whole collegial nihilist thing incites eye rolls and groans (perhaps largely because I was a collegial nihilist at one point) or because I find Crystal quite annoying when he's really trying to be, which - for an actor - I guess is kind of a compliment.

However, the film is really about how the two of them grow as people, getting past all of the hopes, fears, and realities that we've all encountered in one form or another. And the movie portrays this growth without sap or a lack of believability. This is where it really begins to grow on me.

Plus, the timing, script, and camera work are really top-notch, with inventive interludes, and good dynamics between Harry and Sally's friends. It's pretty clear throughout that it is not a rushed film, but clever and well thought-out.

While the laughs are numerous, you also really grow to care about the cast, making When Harry Met Sally a rare romantic comedy that both sexes can enjoy equally.

Day of the Doc: "Steal This Film"

Steal this film is a documentary about digital piracy and file sharing, two subjects that people often feel as fervently about as they do the death penalty, and for largely the same reasons.

The doc opens with a wonderful statement about intellectual property, comparing it to oil as the new corporate cash cow of the information age. Now I'm sitting on the edge of my seat, giving it my full attention. Alas, this is about as exciting and poignant as the doc gets.

It's well shot, but poorly cut, with cut scenes to random b-roll like the atomic bomb or an old video about computers from the '70s, though I can't figure for the life of me how they tie in. Most of the film is about the case against Pirate Bay, the largest bit torrent host on the Web.

I've read about the case several times before (it was between the US and Sweden and now is relegated to Sweden so far as I gather). The case in interesting, but not quite interesting enough to fill the one-hour doc.

There are some good minds sounding off during the interviews, but the most pertinent things being said are also the most brief, largely overshadowed by what I have to assume is an attempt to lay down some historical groundwork for where file sharing began.

The social and economic implications of digital piracy and file sharing should be of far greater interest to the average citizen than they are, with most people forming knee-jerk opinions about it and regurgitating RIAA and MPAA propaganda as evidence. However, while there is certainly more ground to cover on this topic, I'm afraid that Steal just doesn't do it much justice.

There's still certainly something to be gained from this short film, but it really represents only the tip of the iceberg, and it's the submerged 90% that still seems untouched by films and media in general.

DVD: "Australia" brings the Outback back

Based on the enormous cardboard stand-up for Australia that I came across in the theaters, I didn't really know what the movie was going for. It looked kinda like a Romancing the Stone meets Crocodile Dundee with a splash of Legends of the Fall.

In the way, the ads were right on - Australia does try hard to convey an epic story: heroes and villains, beginning in media res, agony and ecstasy. It largely succeeds, but the tone is very intentionally storybook, with over-acting, highly crafted slo-mo and close up shots, which might lose some viewers who would take it as too silly or youthful.

The moral situations are - indeed - transparent as the characters are pretty obvious, but that's not to say they lack depth. The aboriginal characters - particularly young Nullah - are the heart of the film.

The direction is sometimes ambiguous, since it's just as much a story of a time in Australia's history as it is a linear tale of a man and a woman in love, but the meandering feels good, not to where you find yourself checking the clock to see when it's going to end.

The visual scenes, many of which are CGI while others offer a broad scope of Australian landscape, are well done, with few moments that break away and feel contrived as happens in many lower-budget films that try for the same scale.

The film is long and requires a sharp ear to keep from missing anything (and due to the sometimes-heavy accents), but is perfect for a lazy afternoon or romantic evening where you want to be taken away for a couple of hours, have a few laughs and a few tears, and come away feeling pleased - though perhaps unchanged - by the whole experience.

Not as cheesy as a Harlequin Romance, but not as haunting as Legends of the Fall, but either way worth the rental.

Day of the 'Dog: "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen"

Few are fence-sitters when it comes to steampunk action film The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, with many claiming it is a great flick and even more claiming it is a weak attempt at a niche genre. But let's look at the facts here:

1. There's tons of action. I think there are more bullets flying in this flick than the Predator many-gun scene, and that's a lot of lead.

2. The interpretations of classic Victorian literary characters is inventive, and insightful, particularly how Dorian Grey is portrayed - an excellent twist on a classic figure that kinda makes sense.

3. Great special effects. While there are some continuity issues here (as with many comic book flicks) little can be said indicting the excellent use of CGI.

So, why is LXG under-appreciated? Well, while the characters have some depth, most are largely two-dimensional - again pretty typical of comic book film. Some movie-goers also have a hard time with the steampunk alternate world concept, and cars and solar-powered subs in the 1800s is a little more than they're willing to accept.

Perhaps some small mention of what innovation allowed technology to advance in that direction would have been appropriate early on.

However, LXG is a solid action film that's no more outlandish than your average shoot 'em up, and is appropriate and entertaining for a broad audience while having enough wink and nod period references to keep the interest of Victorians - history and literary buffs alike.

So I say ignore the mediocre 5.4 IMDb rating and give LXG a try. You might just find yourself pulled into the story enough to check out the graphic novel and the wealth of others like it - many of which are the contemporary crown jewels of the comic book industry.

Movie Day of the Dog: Fido

In this week's underdog, Fido, atmospheric anomalies turn all recently deceased into zombies in this under-appreciated comedy, already bucking undead lore and introducing some interesting possibilities.

In lieu of showing a zombie outbreak and subsequent war, the zombie apocalypse has already occurred, and the remaining zombies are controlled and made slaves via a containment collar. Shown in a very 1950s "duck and cover" small town environment, a young boy finds a father figure in his zombie "pet," and an intriguing, funny tale of morality, society, and justice ensues.

Don't think of underdog Fido as didactic, though; it's pure fun, but while the over-the-top perfect small town setting would grow tiresome after a little while, Fido keeps it wholly interesting by making a few witty jabs at Red Scare thinking. In-character acting by an all-star cast completes the picture, which is really far more entertaining than gut-bustlingly hilarious or at all scary.

Why it deserves dog status: Well, with an IMDb rating of 7.0, it seems most viewers really appreciated Fido has to offer, but with a mere 8,500 votes, it's also obvious that this one never quite made it onto many people's radars. You don't have to like zombie flicks to appreciate this instant classic, but loving the genre will make many moments that much better.

The Matrix's Carrie-Anne Moss is excellent as the unwitting love-interest for Fido, and while largely mute, Bill Connolly is dynamite as Fido, with lots of humorous nuances and tacit jokes.
So check out Fido when you're in the mood for a good laugh and some witty entertainment.

Nine Hollywood Tropes Moviegoers Loathe: Part Seven

Disney Endings (modern day's Deus Ex Machina)

Who doesn’t like seeing the hero prevail after enduring 90 minutes of hardship? Of course we want Indiana Jones to get the girl and the treasure, or for Brewster to get the whole $300 million.

But that’s not what I’m talking about. I mean the kind of denouement that is nothing but a cheery end to a film that’s winding down and has to end sometime, so the directors just shoot the good guy winning and go have coffee.

Take Changing Lanes for example. It isn’t worth watching twice, but while watching it, I'm really growing concerned about where this feud between Ben Affleck and Samuel L. Jackson is going to end. Could it end up getting physical? Would one of them have to die?

Not to ruin a completely mediocre film, but what’s the magic cure for a brutal and ugly clash between these characters? A friggin' chit-chat! Affleck goes over to see Jackson’s wife - throwing out one of those cheesy side-grins of his - and he explains what’s happened.

Wow. How bloody exciting. A bit like the climax of 300 but…not.

How about the ladies’ favorite flick Pretty Woman? I can understand Gere’s character needing to go slumming: we’ve all been there. I can understand him defending her from the likes of George Costanza’s hairy mitts. I might even understand him learning to loosen up a little while this street-rat introduces him to more proletarian habits such as burping or the Arsenio Hall “whoo, whoo, whoo” thing.

But giving up the inevitable top-shelf ladies that a billionaire could pull for a prostitute? Umm…nahh. I'm not saying Hollywood needs to echo real life, or there'd be no Die Hard, but we at least need to feel like the ending wasn't just some slapdash scene hurried through because the studio was out of money.

Throwback Thursday: "Three 'o' Clock High"

High school in the '80s was a cruel time of ill-advised fashion and what would today be social hara-kiri in the form of yellow sweater vest, bright aqua turtlenecks, and hair teased so high that it could tangle in low-hanging branches.

Three 'o' Clock High is in many ways a very typical '80s movie: the main guy is dorky, but not too dorky, not like his friends; he has a brunette falling all over him, but he wants the blonde; and all matters high school are overblown to a global scale, as if the film's outcome holds the same weight as a war or a presidential election.

In many ways, though, High is anything but typical. From the very beginning, the camera work is extremely elaborate - shooting and editing must have been a bear. Sometimes this gives the impression of being overdone, but most times (particularly in the beginning montage) it adds solid appeal to a film that doesn't have much originality in the story or setting department.

The acting, with plenty of recognizable faces, is pretty good. While the story is predicated on an agreed-upon sense of drama quite typical of high school, everyone's on the same level, so there are no outliers to run against the film's grain.

The whole thing is supposed to be funny, I'm pretty sure, but it's not so much funny as it is comfortably entertaining. It would have been better with a few really solid laughs like how John Hughes would pepper his high school drama flicks, but High doesn't need the comedy to move it along, really.

So, though the story has been done before and since, give it a viewing for camera work and editing alone, both of which are excellent. In this way, High is a fine, under-the-radar addition to the Hughes-esque '80s canon.

Hulk vs Wolverine a nice slice

It may have been a while since I wore a Wolverine t-shirt, but I used to be a die-hard Wolvie freak, back when most people wouldn't have known who he was and thought that my custom license plate that read "Wolvie1" was for the Michigan State football team.

I studied his history, and read everything I could get my hands on about him. So let's just say that - despite a few zillion brain cell deaths since then - I'm still a fountain of Wolverine lore. Thus, when I watched the short animated movie Hulk vs Wolverine (part of a newly-released Hulk vs DVD where he also faces Thor), I was seeing it through pretty critical eyes.

I mean, if you know anything about Wolverine you know that his history and origins have been monkeyed with more than Spider Man, which is saying a lot given the web-slinger's whole "clone" debacle a few years back. So while I was anxious to check out the film, I wasn't so anxious to see too many historical errors.

Briefly, since few care about Wolverine's history who'll actually watch the thing, it is a few points off the historically accurate mark, but not bad. Technically the "Weapon X" team isn't even around when Wolvie confronts Hulk back in 1983, and the Hulk is a little busy fighting a creature called Wendigo at the time (his reason for being in town, if you will).

When Wolvie is unable to hurt the Hulk too badly (technically he can't pierce the Hulk's hide), he turns on Wendigo and pretty much puts him down for the count, but back to the film.

The characters are very well portrayed. While Logan's attitude and demeanor were spot on, it's Bloodpool who really steals the show, with his constant joking and (relatively) foul mouth, Nolan North (no stranger to great voice work) does a superior job of acting him out. The inherent skill level of each character - a very important facet of any comic book portrayal - is likewise right on.

The art is good enough. That's not to say that it is the highest caliber I've seen, as in, say, the first season of Spider Man's animated series or several of the X-Men's animated show, as well. But hey, look at Batman the Animated Series: the art might not have been perfect, but the show was amazing and no worse for any lack of artistic detail.

The action is pretty sweet, with slow-mo, acrobatics, and pretty fluid movements in general. There is a little too much guy-gets-knocked-twenty-miles-away moments a la the Hulk's overzealous desire to "smash," but that's his MO and I guess he's stickin' to it.

All told, this short flick deserves the solid IMDb score it received and certainly deserves renting or even buying if you have a single comic-loving bone in you. If you just liked seeing Hugh Jackman with his shirt off, you might be a little let down, but that's what you get for not reading the cover.

Throwback Thursday: "Omega Man"

I don't know what it is with Charlton Heston flicks lately, but this Thursday's throwback is Omega Man, inspired by my enjoyment of I Am Legend - the book and the movie.

Omega follows Richard Matheson's novel about as much as Will Smith's I Am Legend, which means there are various interpretative liberties - some of which are good, some maybe not. For those who have seen or read Legend: in Omega, the "vampires" are more like albino Amish, with about as much of a fear factor.

The enemy of self-assured "last man on earth" Heston, the albinos refuse to use the machines of war to out Heston's character, Dr. Robert Neville. To me - this would have been a welcome handicap to accelerating their extinction, but Heston's Neville - much like Matheson's - mostly gets drunk and talks to himself.

Omega also does a good job of portraying the book Neville's, ahem...yearnings, shall we say, that would be pretty substantial after a few years of no Internet porn.

The film is from 1971, and for the time period, they do a fine job of showing empty streets, isolation, mass death, and broad shots using clever camera tricks that we take for granted now that there's so much technology to facilitate it. Heston is a believable Neville if not a little creepy when he smiles.

This may be a childhood riddled with Planet of the Apes movies talking, but this felt eerily similar. While the albinos are a little off simian, I'd venture to guess that if you like Apes then you'll like Omega.

I strongly doubt there were any Oscars won for acting, but the period special effects are good, the story is pretty solid, and it's got some decent action sequences.

So, if you’re looking for another take on what World War Z author Max Brooks calls LMOEs (Last Man on Earth) type stories, which I favor, admittedly) then give Omega Man a go.